Education & Outreach

Celebrate American Wetlands Month with SWS 

April showers bring May flowers…and American Wetlands Month, making the month of May one of our favorite times of the year at SWS! Do you have a fun, wetland-related event planned?

If the event would be easily adapted for others to use around the nation or world, then contact SWS Education Section chair, Derek Faust.  The Education Section would love to share your event curriculum/plan with others!

1. Wetland Journals & Publications
   1. Society of Wetlands Scientist’s journal
   2. Society of Wetlands Scientist’s Wetland Science and Practice
   3. National Wetlands Newsletter
   4. Society for Ecological Restoration
   5. Journal of Wetland Archaeology
2. Professional Certifications and Training
   1. Society of Wetland Scientists Professional Certification Program
   2. Association of State Floodplain Managers, Certified Floodplain Manager
   3. Fundamentals in Soil Science (online course) - Soil Science Society of America, Inc.
   4. EnviroCert International - Stormwater Certification Program
   5. The Swamp School - Wetland Career Training (including mini-courses)
   6. Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) - Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner Program
   7. The Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) has many resources available, many of which are free.  Webinar and training page
3. Wetland Regulations
   1. Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI)
   2. Federal links
      1. USACE
      2. USEPA
      3. NEPA
4. Wetland-related Associations
   1. Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies (CASS) - currently made up of SWS, American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF), and the North American Benthological Society (NABS)
   2. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
   3. Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF)
   4. Society for Freshwater Science (SFS)
   5. Society for Ecological Restoration
   6. North American Lake Management Society (NALMS)
   7. Gulf Estuarine Research Society (GERS)
      
   8. Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM)
5. Wetland Applications & Tools
   1. Hydrogeomorphic Approach for Assessing Wetlands Functions
   2. Wetland Hydrology, Water Quality, and Associated Functions (US Geological Survey)
   3. Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Assessment Guidebook for Tidal Wetlands of the Oregon Coast
   4. Watershed Resources Registry
   5. US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory
   6. US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory - Wetlands Mapper
   7. USACE Regional Supplements to Corps Delineation Manual
6. Wetland Grants and Funding Resources
   1. US Fish and Wildlife - National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program

• Alligator Life Cycle 
• Bullfrog in Wetland
• “Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act” - Contains pdf documents of activity books on a variety of coastal wetland topics.
• Cypress Swamp
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetlands Coloring Book

College/Universities

1. Funding Sources for Students (grants, applications, prior year's winners)
   • Society of Wetlands Scientist's Student Research Grant Program: http://www.sws.org/student-research-grants
     
   • Society for Ecological Restoration's Student Association Program: http://www.ser.org/membership/student-associations
   • The Wetland Foundation...enhancing education and research: http://thewetlandfoundation.org/grants/
2. Graduate Programs
   • Florida
     • University of Florida, Graduate Certificate in Wetland and Water Resource Management: https://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/sws-online/certificates/
     • University of Florida, Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands: http://cfw.essie.ufl.edu/
     • Florida Atlantic University, Environmental Sciences Program: http://www.science.fau.edu/biology/envirosci/
   • Louisiana
     • Louisiana State University - School of the Coast & the Environment: http://www.oceanography.lsu.edu/
     • University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Institute for Coastal & Water Research: http://icee.louisiana.edu/
   • Maryland
     • University of Maryland - College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - Wetland Science: https://enst.umd.edu/graduate/graduate-programs/wetland-science
     • Towson University - Environmental Science (M.S.) - Wetlands Assessment and Management Concentration: https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/environsci/grad/science/concentrations.html
   • New York
     • State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry - Water and Wetland Resource Studies: http://www.esf.edu/environmentalscience/graduate/wwrs.asp
   • North Carolina
     • East Carolina University - Biology: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/
   • Ohio
     • The Ohio State University - College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences: http://senr.osu.edu/research/schiermeier-olentangy-river-wetland-research-park
   • Oregon
     • Oregon State University - Water Resources Graduate Program: http://oregonstate.edu/gradwater/
   • Pennsylvania
     • Penn State University - The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences: http://www.huck.psu.edu/
       
     • Penn State University Riparia: https://riparia.psu.edu/
   • South Carolina
     • Coastal Carolina University - Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies: https://www.coastal.edu/cmss/ms/
   • South Dakota
     • University of South Dakota - Missouri River Institute: http://www.usd.edu/missouri-river-institute/
   • Tennessee
     • University of Tennessee – Knoxville - Wetlands Program: http://fwf.ag.utk.edu/mgray/WetlandLab/WetlandsProgram.htm
   • Vermont
     • The University of Vermont, Constructed Wetland Research Center: https://www.uvm.edu/~irwe/?Content=pages/projects/cwrc
       
   • Virginia
     • Virginia Institute of Marine Science: www.vims.edu
3. Resources
   1. Sustainability Degrees - Environmental Science Degrees
   2. Sustainability Degrees - Get Involved: The Ultimate "How To" Guide for Students

1. K-12
   1. Funding Sources for Educators (grants, applications, prior year winners)
      • Toshiba America Foundation Grant
      • Toyota Tapestry Grant for Science Teachers
   2. National Educational Materials
      • A Day in a Forested Wetland Activities to go along with an short (11 pg.) illustrated children’s book.
      • Australian Department of Environment and Energy – Discovering Wetlands in Australia - Wetland activities for all classrooms!
      • Biology Dictionary - for students, teachers and researchers
      • Sea Grant Bridge - An ocean of teacher-approved marine education resources
      • Ducks Unlimited - Wetland Education and Conservation
      • Ducks Unlimited Canada - Education Resources   Wetland Activities
      • International Crane Foundation - Educational programs and resources on endangered species, biology of cranes, wetland and grassland ecosystems, and more!
      • National Geographic's Resource Library - National Geographic Education Resource Library  Education resources and curriculum that can be searched by topic, age group, etc.
      • Project Learning Tree - Activities PreK-8: Watch on Wetlands
      • Project WET Foundation - Water resource education materials using interactive learning including the Wonders of Wetlands (WOW!) curriculum book.
      • Southwest Florida Water Management District - Teacher Resources
      • SWS English and Spanish Language Webinar You Tube Playlists 
      • The Carbon Cycle Description:  Then and Now. An activity that has students travel through the carbon cycle before and after the industrial revolution to help students learn about the changes humans have made to this cycle and climate change.  Activity was developed by the Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, IL.
      • University of Florida: Florida Wetlands - integrate wetland learning into your students' curriculum
      • U.S. EPA - Games, Quizzes and More
      • U.S. EPA: Learn about Water - lesson plans, teacher guides and online resources for educators
      • U.S. EPA - Learn about Wetlands
      • U.S. EPA - Wetlands Protection and Restoration
      • U.S. Geological Survey - The Fragile Fringe A Guide for Teaching About Coastal Wetlands.  Other resources for teachers also available.
      • Washington State -Department of Ecology - Padilla Bay Reserve Resources  Shoreline & Coastal Management Education and Training  Wetland Education & Training Resources
      • Water Conservation & The Possibilities
      • Weather Vs. Climate. Students will play a game show to understand the difference between weather and climate.
      • Wetland Link International Educational resources and global network of wetland education centers.
      • Wetland Link International YouTube Playlists Videos to increase exchange of knowledge and news in the Wetland Link International network, which includes the SWS Education Section.
      • Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Educational Resources and wetland education centers in England.
      • Wild about Wetlands by Sue Hayford. Learn about wetland using activities involving outdoor study as well as reading the novel Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
2. Community Resources
   a. U.S. EPA Community Revitalization Assistance

1. Wetlands for Our Future
   1. American Wetlands Month (May)
   2. EarthEcho Water Challenge
   3. World Wetlands Day

1. SWS Wetlands of Distinction
   1. The showcase of top-tier wetlands accessible via a web-based interactive map. Visit Wetlands of Distinction to learn more.
2. Individual wetland class/lab pages
   1. Plant Ecology Research Lab
   2. Texas A&M University - Galveston Campus
   3. University of Alaska - Alaska Satellite Facility
      • Florida
        • Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program (High School)
      • Illinois
        • Illinois Natural History Survey - Wetland Science Program
      • Maryland
        • Environmental Concern's Wetlands Education Programs
        • Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Wetland Ecology Program
      • South Carolina
        • Coastal Carolina University K-12 Fellows Program
      • Texas
        • The Texas A&M University, K-12 Curricula and Lesson Plans
      • Washington
        • Department of Ecology, State of Washington – Ecology for Educators and Students
      • Wisconsin
        • Educators' Resource Corner – Wetlands

World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on February 2 to raise global awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet. This day marks the date the Convention on Wetlands was formed in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea, back in 1971. This year's theme is Wetlands for a sustainable urban future: urban wetlands making cities livable. Urban wetlands make cities liveable in many important ways. They reduce flooding, replenish drinking water, filter waste, provide urban green spaces and are a source of livelihoods. These wetland benefits grow ever more crucial as the number of people living in cities has now passed the 4 billion mark and continues to rise. By 2050, 66% of humanity will live in cities, as people move into urban areas searching for better jobs. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the value and importance of urban wetlands. In fast-growing cities, wetlands are often viewed as wasteland; places to dump rubbish, fill in or convert to other uses. Scientists estimate that at least 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900, while in parallel, cities have exploded in growth. World Wetlands Day 2018 aims to raise awareness about how urban wetlands contribute to the future of sustainable cities.

Each year since 1997, the Ramsar Secretariat has provided free educational and promotional material to help raise public awareness about the importance and value of wetlands. To celebrate this special day, Ramsar also provides a calendar of events from around the world. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to share their events on this calendar. Check out Ramsar's World Wetlands Day for all educational resources and a complete listing of WWD events.

SWS WWD Activities

Celebrate World Wetlands Day with these SWS-sponsored activities:

SWS Photo Contest Winners
Congratulations to all winners and thank you to everyone who submitted photos in this year's contest!

Grand prize: A one-year membership to SWS, including one complimentary section membership and one conference registration to the 2018 SWS Annual Meeting.

Floating Islands in Dubuque, Iowa by Mark DeDina at Lower Bee Branch in Dubuque, Iowa

1^st place in each category: A one-year membership to SWS, including one complimentary section membership.

International Wetlands
Photographs that support this year’s objective to make SWS an effective international scientific society with a global reach. This category excludes photos of U.S. wetlands.

Mt. Wellington Preserve, a World Heritage site by Mary Allessio Leck in Hobart, Tasmania

Wetland Wildlife
Photographs of plants or wildlife that support the Wildlife Section’s focus on wetland habitat and wildlife.

Sundew Snack by Kyle Filicky in Kent Bog State Nature Preserve, Kent, Ohio

Wetland Restoration
Photographs that advance research and application in restoration fields that regulate wetlands. In this context, wetland restoration is defined in the broadest sense, including wetland reclamation, rehabilitation, and mitigation; issues related to wetland restoration national/international perspectives.

Cottongrass in the Arctic Oilfields by Lorene Lynn at Prudhoe Bay Oilfield in North Slope, Alaska

The winners were determined by SWS membership via an electronic vote. Thank you to everyone who voted!

• Watch SWS webinars
  With World Wetlands Day's focus on raising global awareness about the value of wetlands, what better way to celebrate than by catching up on SWS webinars! Our webinar series aims to educate its viewers on various wetland science topics. All webinar recordings are complimentary for SWS members. Free webinar recordings are available to the public on the SWS YouTube channel! SWS supporters and wetland enthusiasts from around the world can watch these webinars with subtitles in their native language. To view the webinars with subtitles, click the “CC” button in the bottom, right-hand corner of the video. You can change the language of the subtitles by clicking on the settings button in the bottom, right-hand corner and going to subtitles/CC > auto-translate > and choosing the language of your choice.
• Learn more about the SWS New Media Initiative
  In line with the focus of World Wetlands Day, the SWS mission is to promote understanding, conservation, protection, restoration, science-based management and sustainability of wetlands. The SWS New Media Team launched the SWS YouTube channel to share our mission with a wider audience. To help us with this initiative, we ask for members and non-members alike to share their work and experiences by submitting a video to be featured on our YouTube channel! Featured videos will showcase various wetland topics that help to further our mission. Visit the New Media Initiative page to learn more and to submit a video!
• Submit wetland to SWS Wetlands of Distinction
  The SWS Wetlands of Distinction initiative showcases high-quality wetlands, those with exemplary ecosystem services, across the United States (and in the future, around the world). We are seeking applications for wetlands that have already been deemed as special, rare, and/or unique by state agencies or organizations. Wetlands of Distinction goals include:(1) Increasing public awareness and appreciation of wetlands and their many human and environmental benefits
  (2) Identifying and cataloging high-quality wetlands, wetlands of high human-environmental importance and unique wetlands
  (3) Engaging the public including academics, educators, outdoor enthusiasts and others in wetland science and geography, using the interactive Wetlands of Distinction website
  (4) Creating a national, high-quality, wetland database that includes site-specific information about wetland ecosystem services, ecology, biology, soils, conservation status and accessibility
  (5) Increasing protection of our most important and distinctive wetlands and, in turn, protection of common wetlands
• Participate in the SWS-NCC WWD Facebook Photo Contest
  Celebrate World Wetlands Day by participating in the NCC photo contest on Facebook! Here's how to enter:
  (1) "Like" the NCC Facebook page
  (2) Post a picture on our Facebook page of you wearing your best wetlands field gear and/or wetlands-related t-shirt. Make sure to use hashtag #worldwetlandsday when uploading your photo
  (3) Vote for your favorite photos by "liking" them.The photo that receives the most "likes" by February 12, 2018, will receive a gift card! Creativity is strongly encouraged! Please post as many pictures as you would like, and encourage your colleagues to post and "like" photos too. Since the winner will be determined by the number of "likes" a photo receives, posting early will give you a better chance of winning. Questions? Contact Jessica Ackerman.

Do you have an SWS event that you're holding for World Wetlands Day? Let us know by emailing us at membership@sws.org and we'll add your event to our listing!

Love this infographic? Check out more free educational material on www.worldwetlandsday.org